White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway is suggesting President Donald Trump should return to the podium to brief the American people on the coronavirus pandemic as approval of his handling of the crisis continues to drop.
Co-host of Fox News’s “Fox and Friends” Steve Doocy asked Conway on Friday if she can explain how Trump’s numbers on polling are “underwater” when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic.
Conway argued Trump’s approval rating was higher when he was briefing the nation on a regular basis about the coronavirus.
“The president and task force were there most days giving the information. I think the president should be doing that,” Conway said.
Watch her comments below:
Doocy asked Conway why Trump stopped his daily briefings.
Conway explained that “some people” are encouraging him to stop.
She noted Trump’s briefings received “wild ratings” and reiterated he needs to resume his briefings.
“It doesn’t have to be two hours, but it should not be zero minutes either. I think that the president at the podium saying, ‘I want to give you the facts and figures as to what we’ve been able to do.’ I mean millions of pieces of PPE and ventilators and vaccine development and the like,” Conway said.
According to Conway, Trump is speaking to governors “regularly” when they call to ask about hotspots and surges in the number of coronavirus cases.
A poll by ABC News/Washington Post found that 60% of those polled disapprove of Trump’s handling of the pandemic, a increase in disapproval from 53% disapproval in late-May. Thirty-eight percent say they approve of his handling of the outbreak, down from 46% in late-May.
In April, Trump questioned the purpose of White House coronavirus briefings, as IJR previously reported.
He tweeted, “What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions, and then refuses to report the truth or facts accurately.”
“They get record ratings, and the American people get nothing but Fake News. Not worth the time and effort!” he added.
In May, Trump suggested the administration “set every record with those press conferences” and the briefings might return, as IJR previously reported.